Flower Crowns
by RedDragonChai
Summary: A collection of fluffy drabbles exploring the everyday lives of Adrien and Marinette after they start dating.
1. White Camellia

**Hello all you beautiful Miraculous Ladyloves!**

 **This is my first time writing fanfiction in a while but I was too in love with these nerds.**

 **I'm sorry for all the mistakes T.T It's currently 3 am and if I don't post this now I'm not going to so EXCUSE THIS GARBAGE. I'LL GET BETTER I PROMISE.**

 **Thanks for being such a lovely bunch of people you guys. Enjoy!**

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It's a frosty January morning in Paris. The streets outside are paved with snow, but the arctic weather was not enough to scare off the many visting tourists. Most of them were couples, and the bitter chill was but a small obstacle to test the heat of their love. Their sweet nothings form tiny clouds that curl from off their lips like chimney smoke.

School was out for winter break. For most students that meant a carefree handful of days to spend however they pleased. But, in the Agreste household winter breaks were spent working. Photo shoots, fashion shows, fittings, rehearsals- the list goes on for far too long. After all, the winter line of Gabriel Agreste's designs were his most popular. Adrien was put to work day and night without a moment to spare. He was never able to enjoy his favorite season.

This year, however, he had someone lovely to spend winter with and was determined to see her at least once. So, he had put his foot down for one day off, no exceptions. Natalie had brushed off his request, reminding him that this was a very important time of year for his father. Now, Adrien knew that Natalie had been working just as hard as he had been. Had he been planning to have a day off solely for himself he would have obliged. Accepting his fate knowing that was easier for the both of them.

This time was different. Natalie must have seen that, because after a long argument she finally gave in. Adrien would have to work to make up for it: long nights and early mornings. He assured her he's done this for most of his life. He knew the consequences.

Adrien had left his house the moment the sun rose, arriving at Tom and Sabine's bakery about an hour before they opened. He would have been happy to wait outside and enjoy the morning snowfall, but once Marinette's parents had spotted him they hustled him inside. He was ordered to sit down and warm up with a delicious mug of hot chocolate. Once his cup was drained, Adrien offered to help with the morning preparations and spent an hour kneading dough and baking cookies.

As he worked, Tom entertained him with old stories about a younger Marinette. He told him about how she used to put a metal strainer on her head when she was a toddler. Ordering him around the kitchen as she read the directions from his cookbook. He spoke of how Sabine had officially appointed Marinette as 'the royal taste tester'. The two of them were to test for 'poison' in cookie dough and cake batter. When Tom spoke Adrien thought, if he had stared a little harder into his eyes, that he would have been able to find the hearth that was her father's soul, brimming with proud, brilliant flames. He spoke about his family like they themselves had built the world with their own two hands, and for him that was probably true.

Tom had just gotten to the first time Marinette baked a cake all on her own when said teenager entered the kitchen. She was clad in pajamas and a Christmas sweater that was a bit too big on her. Her hair was tied into a messy bun with flyaway hairs poking this way and that. Adrien was pretty sure he was on the verge of melting onto the floor when Tom clapped a hand on his shoulder and brought Marinette's attention to him. Even though he was covered from head to toe in baking flour and had a few smears of chocolate on his cheeks, her eyes lit up like Christmas lights when she spotted him. After a rushed good morning to her parents she hurried him up to her room.

Now, Chat Noir sat cross-legged on a familiar pink bed, with a familiar pink face staring at him with a frown. Two half empty mugs of tea were growing cold on the nightstand beside the bed. Outside, snow caught against the grooves in the windows and built up against the glass.

"Okay," Chat says, smiling reassuringly. "Try again."

He and Marinette had been dating for about a month now, and it had been one of the best months of his entire life. Everyday he saw her was better than the last. Now Marinette was truly a warm light in his life that he held close to his heart, and it grew brighter every time he learned something new about her. One of the things he had learned recently was that she treated Chat Noir and Adrien like they were two different people. He decided today was going to be the day he cleared that up.

Marinette takes a deep breath and braces herself

"Hello Chat, how are you?" She repeats for the third time that day. Chat was surprised that she didn't seem to get tired of saying the same thing over and over. In fact, she looked more determined with repetition.

"I'm wonderful, Marinette." He replies. Chat thought, wracking his brain for something new to say this time. "It's been quite a while since I've had a day off. I'm glad I get to spend it here, with you."

"We haven't been doing anything particularly exciting." She replies, looking a little guilty. "Sorry."

And the lesson begins.

Chat takes her chin in his fingers and pulls her close to him. Their breaths mingle and the smell of something sweet reaches Chat's nose.

"No need to apologize, my lady. Every moment I'm with you is exciting and new. I wouldn't want to spend today with anyone else." He grins.

Marinette laughs and her smile is the color of summer. Blithe yellows and carefree golds burst from her laughter like the suns shine. They caress his cheeks and bathe her in a warm light. Just like that, winter was officially no longer Adrien's favorite time of year.

"When did I become such a sucker for your cheesy talk?" She sighs. Chat places the smell of green tea and sugar riding on her breath.

Before he can answer, a familiar rush washes over his body and he feels the breath being pulled from his lungs. With a flash of bright light, it is no longer Chat Noir sitting with his face an inch away from Marinette's, but Adrien.

"Where?!" A squeak of a voice says from above them.

"Plagg!" Adrien scolds, looking up at his floating friend in annoyance. He always hated when Plagg would leave him powerless without any warning. It was almost like getting the wind knocked out of him when the magic would suddenly drain from his body.

" _Where is the cheese, Adrien_?!" The tiny kwami insists, his bright green eyes zooming around the room in search of a snack.

"There is no cheese, you fanatic! Now hurry and transform me back before-" The teenager cuts himself off, his previous train of thought derailing when a new one takes the tracks. He slowly, almost mechanically, returns his gaze to his girlfriend.

Marinette is staring at him with a pair of eyes nearly the size of two moons. Her face has ignited into scarlet and the color reaches all the way down her neck. She grins at him tightly, giggling nervously.

"Hi." She greets, her voice having risen a few octaves.

"Hi, princess." Adrien sighs.

The teenage girl snaps her mouth shut and, just when he thinks she can compose herself, lets out a muffled, breathy squeal.

Adrien falls back against her bed with a flop, knowing all too well that there was no way to get Marinette back to her confident state unless they went through the entire process of calming her down again. If he was being honest, he wasn't willing to change back into Chat again. Not to mention Plagg was probably running out of energy. Which explains why he's still fluttering around the room, scanning for food.

Adrien was just going to have to accept the fact that the love of his life could barley get a single word out to him without breaking down into a fit of stutters and blushing. Which was fine. Marinette was certainly the cutest person he knew and knowing she only melted like this for him made his heart skip a beat.

Maybe some day Marinette would get used to the idea that they were dating and be able to talk with him easily and comfortably.

Cracking an eye open, he peeks at her. She was staring down at her hands in her lap with a disappointed pout. The blush has yet to fade even slightly.

"I'm sorry." She apologizes, shaking her head like she's trying to get rid of a thought. "I'm just not expecting it."

"Nobody is here except for you and me. There's no need to be so nervous." He assures her.

"Th-that's part of what makes it so difficult to talk to you!" She exclaims. The knot in her brow deepens when she hears how unsteady the sound of her voice is. She curls her hands into fists in frustration and refuses to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Adrien asks gently, scooping up one of her hands in his own and uncurling her angry fist to lace their fingers together. "We spoke all the time before. When you were Ladybug and I was Chat."

"Yes, but I didn't know that was you."

"You know it's me now. And yet, you still talk to 'Chat' a lot easier than you talk to me." He feels a strange prickle of jealousy in his mind. Chat wasn't even the first person she fell in love with, it was him. Yet his superhero persona gets all the witty comebacks and none of them are ever directed at his normal self. He loved the shy side of Marinette too, but he missed when she would poke fun at him.

"It's different."

"Explain it to me." He pleads, squeezing her hand in hope that it will remind her that they were already dating. There really was no point in hiding things like this.

She gnaws at her lower lip, debating something in her head. When she finally speaks again, her voice is warm and her gaze on their hands is distant.

"Chat's one of my best friends. I've known him for so long and he's always there when I need him. He's and loyal and honest and...he makes terrible puns that I hate but love." Marinette rolls her eyes with a snort, smacking her forehead in an unwilling defeat. Adrien grins at her, but remains silent in fear that she'll loose the building confidence in her words. "He keeps me safe. I guess I'm more comfortable around him because-..." She trails off, glancing at him sheepishly.

"Because?" Adrien prompts softly.

"Because, no matter what I said to him, I knew he would never leave me to fight alone."

And there goes his heart. It had been hanging on by a thread in his chest the entire morning. Waiting for the moment Marinette would cut it loose and allow it to skyrocket into his throat.

"And when I think of you," She continues, completely missing the devastated look he gives her. "I think of months of falling for you countless times and an unrequited love. It just doesn't feel real, Adrien. And I just get scared that you'll realize that I'm not Ladybug. A part of me is, but most of the time I'm Marinette. The awkward weirdo who can't get more than a sentence out to you without seeming like a total idiot-"

"Wait a minute." He cuts off the rant that was undoubtedly about to get a lot more negative. Propping himself up back to the seated position, Adrien makes sure their gazes are level when he speaks. "You think Ladybug is only a part of you?"

Marinette frowns and lets out a sigh through her nose.

"Of course she is. Most of the time I'm not a superhero, Adrien."

"Marinette," Adrien's voice drops lower and his gaze becomes a little more stern. "You're not two different people. You're just as amazing as Lady is. Just because, at the end of the day, you loose the mask doesn't make you any different. You may not fight any villains when you're like this, but that doesn't make you any less brave."

Her blue eyes glass over with tears and she straightens her mouth into a tight line. He wishes he had told her these things sooner, but he just assumed she knew. All this time, she had thought she was somehow a lesser person than Ladybug. The thought is so ridiculous to him he can't help but let out a hopeless sigh.

Really. What was he going to do with her?

"Everyone knows you're amazing. You're still a superhero, you just don't have a secret identity when you're Marinette.

Of course, that also means that I am the same person as Chat Noir. I'm still one of your best friends, the puns are inevitable. And I would _never_ leave you to fight alone. Not Ladybug or Marinette."

It happens so quickly Adrien doesn't process her movements until after her lips have collided with his own. She kisses him like all the times their lips had met before that moment were nothing but dreams, and she was determined to show him how delicious reality really was.

It's not until after she pulls away that he realizes that was the first time Marinette had kissed him without her mask on.

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 **White Camellia- You're adorable**


	2. Peppermint

**Oh my gosh you guys are so sweet! I can't tell you how happy I am. I am so glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Your support really means a lot to me! Really. I can't express that enough.**

 **Thank you so very much. Enjoy!  
**

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Marinette had a complicated relationship with winter.

She adored the idea of it. A blanket of snow bundling up her city in a chilly, fluffy embrace. Jack Frost kissing everyone's nose and leaving cheeks red and flushed. Sitting with a steaming mug with your choice of liquid comfort and cuddling up next to a warm heater. The other seasons didn't make her heart nearly as warm as the thought of winter did.

Then, that romanticized time of year finally arrives, and it's suddenly not everything she's been fantasizing about.

Walking home in the snow was equivalent to making your way through a frozen hell. Jack Frost is biting at every unprotected expanse of skin and smacking your cheeks to the point of numbness. Marinette slips onto her backside with nearly every single time she walks outside; the grace of Ladybug flying out the window along with the warm embrace of autumn.

When she started to date Adrien there was a small part of her that hoped he would change things. That he would melt away all the cold ideas she felt towards winter and show her why it was the most wonderful time of the year. But, alas, Marinette's discomfort with the season only grew.

Adrien was busy nearly every day of their winter break, with the exception of his day off. Marinette thought that that one day would be enough to satisfy her for the rest of their vacation. Yet, it only fed her desire to see him even more. She found herself growing cold in her bed without his body heat beside her. Hot chocolate didn't seem like such a sweet beverage when she wasn't drinking the taste off his lips. Not even cheery Christmas music could rid her room of his overwhelming absence.

When Christmas rolled around she thought she would see him without a doubt. Marinette had been planning on giving him the present she had worked herself to the bone over. It was a long, black coat that would sweep across his knees. She had insulated the inside to fight off the frigid chill in the air and the buttons were a dark gold. They had reminded Marinette of Chat's golden bell and she had bought them immediately after seeing them in the store. The inside pockets had dark green paw prints embroidered into them, hidden unless you were searching for them. After one long month of searching for fabric, needles pricking her fingers, and long nights spent huddled over a sewing machine, it was finally done.

She had texted him the night of Christmas Eve, nerves fluttering around in her stomach at the thought of his reaction. The last time she had given Adrien a gift had been a success. Well, in the sense that he had loved it. He still doesn't know that she was the one who had made it for him and Marinette wasn't sure she would ever tell him that she had. There was something new in his smile that day, something blinding in the way his eyes shined. Something that would be erased if Marinette had told him the truth.

Alya had insisted she get proper credit and even threatened to tell him herself if Marinette kept refusing. She had a good point that it wasn't fair that his father had stolen her gift and claimed it for his own. But the scarf was no longer an article of clothing Marinette had stitched together using her heart strings. It was something that would warm Adrien even when Paris was back to it's bright and sunny days. Marinette wouldn't dream of taking something like that away from him.

However, since it hadn't just been the gift that had made Adrien happy, but rather the thought that it was from his father, meant that Marinette could be giving him something he wouldn't like.

At first she thought it had been a cute idea, making Adrien a coat that was designed after Chat. She had thought of it like an inside joke, a secret shared only between the two of them. But as days grew on, she thought that perhaps making a coat from scratch was a little too much for a gift to her boyfriend. Especially since they had only been dating for about a month.

After the first negative thought towards her gift started to simmer in her mind, a hundred other ones popped up along with it. It had gotten to the point where Tikki had to keep her from pitching the coat altogether and starting from square one all over again.

She wished desperately that she could ask Alya for advice, but Alya has yet to be informed that Marinette and Adrien had begun dating. A secret that was eating Marinette alive inside. She knew that if Alya found out there would be questions about how in the world that had happened and Marinette hadn't figured out a suitable lie in place of the truth. Which would reveal Chat Noir's identity and Ladybug's as well.

Just when she thought her curiosity would be satisfied and she would finally get to see his reaction towards her gift, he had texted her back saying he would be working until midnight on Christmas Eve. On Christmas his father was holding an event that would run late. He had profusely apologized and promised that he would try and see her again before school started up.

"Yeah, I don't think you're going to last that long." Tikki had commented when Marinette begrudgingly told her the news. Marinette groaned with a pout, her eyes unwillingly drifting to the present that sat on her table. The box was all dressed up in a cute wrapping paper she had found specifically for this occasion. The paper was cream spotted with tiny black cats all stretching in different poses. A big red bow sat on top. Though the gift looked seemingly harmless, to Marinette it loomed in the corner like a dark shadow. "You should give it to him tonight, or you'll be spending Christmas like this."

"I can't. He's working until midnight."

"You say that like you and Chat have never been out past midnight fighting akuma, when we both know that isn't true." Tikki replies, smirking.

Marinette couldn't deny her that. Sometimes her and Chat were out until sunrise with the promise of a full school day ahead of them. When she looked back at the present she felt nerves grip at her heart once again and decided she needed to get it out of her mind.

Which has led her to where she is now. Waiting outside the building where Adrien has his photo shoots and nearly freezing to death.

She had completely underestimated the cold, having been cooped up mostly inside for her break. The chill laughed at her sweater and sweat pants and she could feel it's breath roaming over every part of her. She had fallen on her walk over and her backside was now _wonderfully_ frozen and damp. Her teeth were relentlessly chattering, filling her head with the sound of clacking. She was suddenly glad she had left Tikki at the house where it was warm and cozy, because the kwami would be a tiny red ice cube in her pocket by now.

The building stood before her, with warm light pouring out from the windows. She wanted to go inside and get warm but she had a crippling fear that she would run into Adrien's father. She wasn't sure if Adrien had told his father they were dating and didn't want to be the one to break the news to him if he hadn't. Rationally she knew that Mr. Agreste would most likely not be with his son and that if she did go inside she would probably run into Natalie instead. That however, was not much better. If Natalie did see her, she would tell Marinette to leave the present with her and that Adrien was much too busy to see her. But she knew from previous experience that her gifts to Adrien could not be trusted in the hands of others.

When Marinette finally saw Adrien walk outside, she felt relief wash through her past the numbness from the cold.

He was walking alongside a few people, who Marinette assumed to be the other models, and of course Natalie. Exhaustion was written clearly on his face and his shoulders drooped like at any moment he would fall face first into the snow and sleep for an eternity.

 _Maybe_ , Marinette thought, _today was not the best day to be doing this_.

Just as she was about to sink back into the shadows and escape back to her house, Adrien's eyes found her drenched in the light from the street lamps above.  
He stared at her for a long few seconds, blinking. He then dug the palms of his hands into his eyes like he was trying to rid them of an unrealistic dream.  
When Marinette was still there, shivering and smiling nervously, he immediately left the group of chattering models and rushed over to her. Marinette didn't miss the confused looks they exchanged among themselves before their conversations resumed.

"Marinette?!" Adrien exclaims over the roaring winds.

"H-Hi." She greets, breath rising in a cloud of steam only to dissipate when Adrien walks through it.

"What on Earth are you doing out here?!" Concern pulls his brows together, and he gives her a skeptical once over to make sure she was physically alright.

"It's Chr-Christmas. I w-w-w-wanted to s-see you." She can't manage a smooth sentence without her clattering teeth getting in the way of her words. It was worth it to say them, though, when she sees Adrien's eyes brighten and a his smile warms her up a bit.

Now that he's closer Marinette can see dark circles embedded beneath his eyes. She wonders briefly if someone will Photoshop them out of whatever pictures they had taken of him. How many pictures of him had she admired been edited to wipe away the fatigue from overworking himself. It sends a new chill down her spine.

Her fingers seem to act on their own accord and reach up to trace the purple bruises exhaustion had pressed beneath his shining eyes. The moment her skin meets his, he hisses and flinches away.

"Marinette," He breathes in surprise, snatching up her hand in his own and stepping closer to her. His airspace is like a furnace and she nearly hums in delight when he clutches her fingers to his chest. "You're freezing! How long have you been out here?"

"Not long." She lies, surprised at how smoothly the words flow out of her mouth. It wasn't easy to lie to Adrien and now that she knew he was Chat she found it hard to lie to him as well.

"Well, let's get you somewhere warm." He mumbles with a frown. "Come on, snow angel."

"W-wait!" She pleads when he tugs her towards the building. She ends up colliding with his chest in her attempt to stay put and is surprised to find herself unable to pull away. How can someone be so unbelievably warm in this kind of weather? "I wanted to give y-you this."

She slips the gift box out from under her sweater, ignoring the fact that it was now crushed and the bow was flat. It wasn't how she had expected to give it to him, but it would have to do.

Adrien looks less than pleased when she refuses to follow him, but the moment he sees the box his glare softens.

"What..." He trails off when she shows him the bow and he realises what it is. He reaches up to take the gift from her hands but hesitates. As if when he touches it, the box will vanish into thin air. He looks at her tightly, like he wants her to confirm that it's not going anywhere. She pushes it into his waiting hands.

"Merry Christmas."

Adrien crushes her to his chest, squishing the gift between them. He wraps his arms around her shoulders and digs his fingers into her hair. The feeling is like nothing Marinette has ever felt before and suddenly she is warmer than she ever has been. Winter melts away around them along with every other cold and bitter thing in the world. She digs her hands beneath his coat so she can wrap her arms around his middle and nuzzle her nose into his chest. The sound of his heartbeat sprinting like it's desperately trying to jump into her hands fills her ears and she smiles.

"You don't even know what it is yet." She says, her voice steady and muffled by the soft fabric of his shirt.

"It's amazing."

"Adrien, you haven't opened it." Marinette giggles. "You might not even like it."

He is silent in response, his arms tightening around her almost to the point where it's hard for Marinette to breathe. Though, that might be because the boy of her dreams is hugging her like there is no tomorrow and she was finally able to give him something she had been working on for weeks.

She suddenly felt silly for being afraid he wouldn't like it. Adrien wasn't the type of person who would throw away someone's gift to him. Especially not something she had poured her heart into. Marinette was on the verge of laughing at herself when she felt something unexpected.

Adrien was shaking.

Oh right, it might have been warm wrapped up in his arms but outside it was a wasteland of ice. She lets herself bask in his heat for a second longer before she pulls away.

"Okay, let's go to that warm place you were talking...about...Adrien?"

Marinette had never seen Adrien cry and she had known him for a long time. She's seen him at his worst, when he's covered in gashes and bruises after a fight that would bring tears to her own eyes. But he was always full of smiles and reassurances that he was fine. Now, his eyes are gleaming and tears fall down his cheeks like rain trickling down flower petals. His gaze is stubbornly avoiding her own.

"S-Sorry, princess." He says unevenly, laughing thickly and wiping his face on his shoulder. "I," He swallows roughly. "I don't know why I'm crying. It's just been a while since I've gotten a Christmas present, I suppose. I'm sorry-" He sheepishly glances at her, a mixture of embarrassment and unadulterated happiness creating a blush on his cheeks. But his smile drips down his face with the remainder of his tears. "Hey, why are you crying?"

Marinette wants more than anything to say something like they do in all the cliche movies. She wants to kiss away his tears and make that distant sadness in his eyes disappear. But she can't stop blubbering like a baby.

"I don't know! You started crying! So- so I don't know. I just-" She bites down on her lip, tears pouring down her face.

"Nonono, I'm okay! Really, I'm fine." He frantically fits his hands around her jaw and wipes away her tears with his thumbs. "I'm better than okay. I'm wonderful. I promise. These are happy tears- I'm crying happy tears."

He rests his forehead against her own, the hopeless smile returning to his face. Somewhere along the line, the distance had faded from his eyes and he looked at her like she was the only thing left in the world. He touched her like he was going to cherish her more than anything. That should have gotten her to stop the flood of tears, but it somehow only made them ten times worse.

She disappears back into the warmth of his chest, knowing all too well that her tears and snot would be left behind on his shirt but she cant find it in herself to pull away.

She feels him chuckle against her. His lips find her ear and plant a kiss there. "Merry Christmas, Marinette."

...

The next day, everybody could not stop talking about Adrien Agreste's new coat.

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 **Peppermint- Warmth of feelings**


End file.
